GB2259288A

GB2259288A - Sheet sampling machine

Info

Publication number: GB2259288A
Application number: GB9118902A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Frederick Cairncross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-09-04
Filing date: 1991-09-04
Publication date: 1993-03-10
Also published as: GB9118902D0

Abstract

A sheet sampling machine comprising a conveyor system which is programmable to provide a temporary store beneath the normal conveyor level (4) by lowering a pivotted section (1) of the conveyor consecutively stacking and thus relating sheet samples to their position in a batch, together with a docket from a dispenser which identifies the individual batches (X), in the sample store, to the production runs. <IMAGE>

Description

AUTOMATIC SHEET SAMPLING MACHINE This Invention relates to the automatic sampling of metal sheets in the Metal Decorating Industry.

The Metal Decorating Industry deals with metal sheets in large batches and requires to convey the sheets through a number ofprocesses, typically 4, before a finalpass through an oven prior to despatch. At the conclusion of each process the metal sheets are discharged from the process onto a short energised section of conveyor and thence to an unloader.

lit order to mauttaitt control of quality during processing and to provide the customer with progressive samples through the batch it is the practice of the industry to remove sample sheets from the conveyors manually.

Titus the current practice in use for sampling is wasteful of labour, and can be hazardous to both the operator and the product.

According to the present invention there is provided a fully automatic means of removing sample sheets, at predeterminable rates, from the production batches. This comprises a length of conveyor track, the leading section of which is arranged to be pivotted, tit the manner of a gate, so disposed as to be able to deflect sample sheets, as required, to a receiversituated below the normal level of the conveyor. A further aspect of the sampler is that the gate is designed to be operated by an acniator linked to a counter-sensor system recording the passage of metal sheets into the sampler;; A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with references to the accompanyitig drawing.

Referrulg to the drawing a pulley driven belt conveyor systent is illustrated, the side elevation (A) and the plait view (B). Dealing first with the side elevation (A) the metal sheets are conveyed from the previous process onto the uppersurfaces of the conveyor belts in the direction of the arrow (a) this first section is apivotted or gate section (1) comprised ofpulleys (2) and belts (3) which isso disposed as to normally pass the metal sheets onto the fixed section of conveyor (4) comprised of pulley (5) and belts (6) from whence the sheets are conveyed to an unloading device (not showit) situated to right of the sampler;; When a sample is required to be taken the pivotted section is automatically moved to the lower position (shown dotted) thus deflecting the sample sheet (7) on a path below the normal track of the conveyor. As the sheet passes below the conveyor, it is gathered onto the underside of a specially provided pulley and belt system (8) (see plan view) by a series of electromagnets so arranged as to attract the sample metal sheet to the undersurface of the belt.The control of the electromagnets is such that the magnets are energized as the leading edge of the sample sheets passes the entity end of the pivotted conveyor (1) and is de-energised as the trailing edge of the sheet leaves the conveyor (1).

Prior to the arrival of the first sample sheet of a batch into the sample collecting area an automatic batch ticket dispeztser (9) (see plan view) places a batch identification document onto either the sample stillage surface (10) which has been previously placed on the shuttle (11) or onto the top and final sample of the previous batch (x).

Thus when the production run is completed (this may be any number of batches from 1 - 50 or more) the shuttle 11 is operated and a single stillage of samples will Itave been taken at a rate predetermined by the main controller (12) and each sample from each batch will have been kept in consecutive order within each batch and each batch will have its individual identity within the production nut. All executed auromatically.

Claims

1. An automatic sheet sampling machine which divertspre-selected sheets under the main conveyor line, into a collection area where an identification document is automatically dispensed between pre-selected sheets, unloading of the same is carried out by moving the sliuttle into the adjacent passageway.

2. An automatic sheet sampling system as lii Claim I wherein the sample sheet is collected by a series of electro magitets as it is deflected beneath the conveyor system by tile gate. By this means the sheets can be released in a way which minimises damage to the sheets.

3. An automatic sheet sampling system as in Claim 1 wherein the sample sheet deflected below the normal conveyor level is supported on a pressurised air column as it falls to the base of the receiver an altentative means, to claim 2, of minimising damage to the sheets.

4. An automatic sheet sampling system as in Claim 1 wherein the conveyor elements on the gate section are so shaped as to deform the sheet into a "U" shape thus temporarily stiffening the form of the sheet and resulting in a more controlled wing like action as the sheet falls to the base of the receiver;

5. An automatic sampling system as in Claim 1, Claim 2, Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein there is provided beneath the normal conveyor level a manual batch ticket dispenser which introduces a batch identification document between selected sheets.

6. An automatic samplitig system as in Claim (1). Claim (2). Claim (3). Claim (4) wherein batch identifcation is acheived by attaching labels, either manually, or automatically to pre-selected sleets.